2017 - Robert's botanical adventures in Northern California

[Robert]

I was out scouting El Dorado County today.



My first stop was Traverse Creek at about 2,000 feet elevation (610 meters).



It was snowing at Traverse Creek yesterday at this time. Today it was a balmy 55 F (13 C) and all of the snow had melted.



Viola douglasii was in bloom.



I know where most of the Violas are growing at Traverse Creek and was pleased to see that the seedlings that had sprouted last year were blooming this spring.



Viola douglasii from the rear of the flower. I like the dark coloration on the back of the 2 upper petals.

[Robert]

The flowering season is progress slowly at this elevation. Lomatium utriculatum is quite plentiful at Traverse Creek.



Lomatium marginatum var. marginatum can also be found at Traverse Creek.



The two species are very easy to distinguish from each other. The cauline leaf petioles of L. utriculatum have a distinct sheathing. L. marginatum does not have cauline leaves. In addition, the foliage of L. marginatum is thread-like - long linear.



It was cold last night and the Mimulus guttatus was frosted down. They will recover. I did not notice any frost damage on any of the other species at Traverse Creek.



Some of the open meadows at Traverse Creek were carpeted with early wildflowers. Different species will follow as the season progresses.

[Robert]

All over parts of El Dorado County there are large drifts of Goldfields, Lasthenia californica ssp. californica, in bloom.



This tiny annual can put on a big show.



Butter and Eggs, Triphysaria eriantha ssp. eriantha, were carpeting the ground too.



The Goldfields and Butter and Eggs were creating sheets of yellow throughout the area.

[Robert]

I left Traverse Creek and traveled up the mountain along the Georgetown Divide. I wanted to find the current elevation of the snowline and at what elevation the deeper snow might start. I was very surprised to find the snowline at 4,000 feet (1,219 meters). Even here there was very little snow. It was 45 F (7 C) and the remaining snow was melting quickly.



From Lake Edson I got a good idea of the elevation where the deep snow would start. Pyramid Peak was poking out from behind the distant ridge.



The eastern portions of Lake Edson suffered considerable damage from the King Fire several years ago. Up stream, on Pilot Creek large tracts of land were completely clear-cut of all the trees - living and dead. At least they left the burned and dead trees near the Lake.



Greenleaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula, was in full bloom around the lake.



Some of the Greenleaf Manzanitas had deeper pink flowers.

[Robert]

I did some sampling of the Greenleaf Manzanitas around the lake to compare them to samples form the Northern Coast Range (Snow Mountain).



There were a few Whiteleaf Manzanitas, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. mariposa, around the lake too. It is not unusual to find the two species growing next to each other at this elevation.



Ribes roezlii var. roezlii in bloom. The flowers of this species are not extremely showy, however I like this species enough to have it in our Sacramento garden. There it will most likely bloom in January or February (the plant is too young to bloom yet). The fruit can be good too if one can work around the spines.

This was a good reconnaissance to help me plan future outings this spring season. Depending on the weather I might be able to check on Peavine Ridge within a week. Beyond Peavine Ridge the snow will still be very deep.

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Robert
Some very beautiful plants and flowers - I especially like the variety of manzanitas
cheers
fermi

[Robert]

Hi Fermi,

There is a lot to see this time of year!

There is definitely a considerable amount of variation within the Genus Arctostaphylos and some are very beautiful. In California, very few species are used for landscaping or in personal gardens. This is unfortunate, as many species would most likely be excellent garden plants. I am testing many in our garden, both for garden use as well as for other research interests.

Viola douglasii is a gem! So far, I am having some success with it in our Sacramento garden. Lomatium hooveri is a new one for me. Beautiful flowers and foliage -  in my mind, the perfect xeric rock garden plant for a hot, dry climate.

[Hoy]

Robert,

The flora is so much richer than here. It is a pleasure to see! Thanks for showing
Among all these I think I vote for the Viola douglasii this time!

I wonder, is the soil frozen at the snowline?

This is how the forest often looks up here, lichen and moss, but few flowering plants (picture from yesterday)




And the Sphagnum moss adds the colour:

[Robert]

Trond,

I have to agree that California appears to be one of the biodiversity hot spots on the planet, like South Africa. Here in California, there can even be considerable diversity within a species. Many species still appear to be poorly understood. My field observations certainly get me thinking about how the evolutionary process works. My imagination sees a non-linear web of interactions that operates differently depending on time and space. Something closer to a quantum type reality than a 100% Newtonian system.

For me this translates into endless possibilities for our gardens.    In our Sacramento garden I am constantly experimenting with different species. I certainly do not give-up with certain plants that I like. An example is Mimulus kelloggii. I will keep attempting to have success with this species until I find the combination of circumstances that work. In the mean time the garden is gorgeous and is a constantly changing paradise. I see the same with other gardens that I visit through this forum.

Thank you for sharing the photographs. Norge many not have the diversity of species like California but there is still so much beauty and I am fascinated by the species that you show and their natural habitats. The current set of photographs reminds me of parts of the Sierra Nevada near the crest. In some places the terrain can be covered with mosses and lichen too.

Depending on the current snowline, yes the ground can be frozen. When the snowline is low in elevation the ground does not really freeze. When the snowline is moving up the mountain in the spring, the ground can be frozen or will be in the process of thawing. I am not sure how deep the ground freezes at higher elevations. Something for me to look into. 

[Hoy]

The depth of the frozen soil (called tele in Norw.) depends of course of the amount of snow and wether the freezing starts before or after the first lasting snow.


Here is Arctostaphylos alpinus. The buds have started to swell despite the cold nights.

[Robert]

Trond,

Where your recent photographs were taken, how deeply is the ground frozen at this time?

In the Sierra Nevada depending on the elevation, when the winter snow melts and the first patches of soil are exposed there is only a beginning of new growth. No flowers. The landscape looks very similar to your recent photographs.

The Lyon's Creek area is still buried in snow, however maybe I can get there when the soil is just starting to be exposed. It would be interesting to find out now deeply the ground is frozen. My guess is that it is not frozen very deep at all.

Getting there at that time of the season would be difficult. The snow melts very unevenly and cross country skis are useless. Back in the 1980's I would hike in there during the spring under those conditions. It was very quiet and peaceful - no people, not any birds yet either - just the wind, if it was that sort of day.

Hum! Tele = the depth of the frozen snow in Norsk. Is there any connection to the county Telemark?

[Hoy]

Robert,

I use skis also where the snow has melted away if the bare patches not are too wide 

Tele, frozen soil, has nothing to do with Telemark which is named for a Germanic tribe thousends of year ago ( þelir) + forest, borderland (mǫrk).

Telehiv, on the other hand, is connected: the humps and bumps created in a frozen road, especially when the underground begins thawing!


I think the soil is frozen 3-4 ft deep where my last picture was taken. That means the soil is frozen down to the bedrock and the rock is also below 0C at least a couple ft, probably more. It is no or very little, snow cover on the hilltops during winter.

On the other hand it is possibly no tele where the snow accumulates early.

[Robert]

Så jeg lære Norsk eller så lære jeg Norsk? 

Deretter, er “Tele” et ord en eller et?

On the western slope of the Sierra Nevada there is rarely exposed soil - (ground) as the winter progresses and the snow accumulates. Most likely the ground does not freeze deeply, but it would be good for me to find out.

In the spring on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, the ups and downs of the melting snow can be extreme, especially in the forest. Skis only work out in the open, as you say, if there are not too many open spots.

[Hoy]

Så jeg lære Norsk eller så lære jeg Norsk? 

Deretter, er “Tele” et ord en eller et?

On the western slope of the Sierra Nevada there is rarely exposed soil - (ground) as the winter progresses and the snow accumulates. Most likely the ground does not freeze deeply, but it would be good for me to find out.

In the spring on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, the ups and downs of the melting snow can be extreme, especially in the forest. Skis only work out in the open, as you say, if there are not too many open spots.

Robert,

You can say both "Så lærer jeg norsk" and "Så jeg lærer norsk?" The last is a question 

"Tele" is  used without an indefinite article. "Det er tele i bakken" (It is tele in the ground).


Here we are "Cross country" skiing through the birch forest!

[Robert]

Trond,

Considering the snow conditions in the photograph, I can see how you easily cross-country ski during the spring snow melt. In the Sierra Nevada it is completely different in the high elevation coniferous forest. At the drip line of the conifers there is often a meter of hard compacted snow. A meter away there might be only 5 cm of snow. This undulating mass of snow makes any sort of travel difficult. The snow is often rock hard, especially early in the day. There are soft spots where one can sink to the knee. It is good if one can "read" the snow and avoid buried shrubs, rocks, and of coarse, crossing running water requires caution. Snowshoes do not work either. I find that an ice ax is useful, but the going is slow and difficult.

Despite some wind, rain, and dense clouds I was able to check on another road into the South Fork of the American River. There was a slide were part of the road gave way, however the road is still passable at this time. Iris hartwegii was in full bloom near the bottom of the canyon. Not one photograph turned out. Conditions for picture taking were extremely poor.

The only days without precipitation in the 7-10 day forecast are Friday and Saturday. I'm not sure when I will be able to get out again.

As for your photographs of the spring landscape in the mountains. Så vakker!